Make a deal with God, and swap our places

Broken family

It had been one week since Starcourt, one week since Joyce died, and now hopper was helping Will put his tie on. "How are you holding up kid?" Hopper asked, "ok" Will said with tears threatening to stream down his face, hopper took him into a big hug and said "She loved you
You know that right?" All Will did was hug him tighter silently being to sob.

"Dad?" A shy little voice said, "yeah, El?" He replied, "can you help me with my hair?" She asked. "yeah honey, what do you want?"
"Braids" is all she said, Will let go of the hug and Hopper walked over to El.

There he was holding his daughter's beautiful brown hair, braiding it he glanced down at el playing with the hair tie, telling him that she was having anxiety. "Hey" hopper whispered "you,ok?" She just sat still, and stopped playing with the hair tie, and she spoke quietly "I miss Joyce," Hopper stopped braiding her hair, he was hit with a wave of emotions, he wanted to cry, but he choked down the tears for El's sake. "I do too" he whispered back.

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Joyce Byers is dead, he doesn't know exactly where he heard it, maybe it was one of his friends from Hawkins or maybe he heard it on the news talking of hero named Joyce Byers.
"Hero" he thought mentally scoffing "there's many was to describe her crazy, stubborn, apparently dead, but hero? That was not one of them."

"Cynthia, I'm going to Hawkins" he said, "why" "why would you want to go back there?"
"Because my crazy ex-wife died Cynthia! Jonathan isn't legally old enough to be by himself let alone take care of will. I could take them in, then they trust me and give me the money from selling the house. Her funeral is later today, I'll bring them back with me."

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All the kids were in the car they were on the way to the cemetery. The car was filled with bitter silence from its occupants, only the faint sound of the music from the radio and the hum of the engine filled the car. He usually liked a silent car, to have a minute to let his mind wander but, ever since Starcourt the silence was miserable.
Anytime he had a moment to himself, to think his mind would wander to Joyce. Thinking what could he have done differently, he should have been the one to die. Hopper had many regrets from that day but, his biggest regret was not telling Joyce how he feels, how much he loves her and if he was being completely honest he had no Idea where there relationship stood.
She had asked him out on a date right? Or was all in his mind?  Was it all just a hallucination
Made by his grief? If it was a hallucination made by his grief, it wouldn't be the first time.

When they arrived at the cemetery there were a few people already there, some of them being the Wheelers. El and Will both jumped out of the car and walked over to Mike and started talking to him. Jonathan stayed still in the car, hopper could see the tears streaming down his cheek "hey kid, you okay?" Hopper asked "yea....yeah I'm fine" he said quickly wiping the tears away. Jonathan was about to get out when, hopper grabbed his arm and said "kid, if you ever need anything, I'll be here" "thanks hopper" Jonathan said before closing the door.

Hopper gave a big sigh and laid his head on the steering wheel, taking a deep breath and mumbling "Joyce, I miss you so much more that you could ever know, when you died you took a piece of my heart with you.... And I'll never get it back." Hopper knew how cheesy it sounded, but it was true. It was time, he should be there for the kids so, he put his own emotions to the side and left the pain in the car as he got out.

Hopper walked up to Will and El, putting a hand on each of their shoulders giving them both a little squeeze.  "Come on, kids" he mumbled "let's go."

They walked up to the empty casket as if to say their goodbyes, when they hear footfall right behind them they turn around and see robin and Steve. Robin talks to El while, Steve hugs Will rubbing circles on his back.

"Hey" hopper says "thanks for coming guys" "no problem Chief, she's a hero she saved us and everyone, even if the public thinks it was a mall fire" robin replied with compassion littered in her voice. "Yeah" Steve said "she was a great mom... I was hoping she'd would've been able to teach me how to be a great mom" he said the last part quickly, but slow enough for Robin's fast talking motor brain to catch;she chuckled in response.

More people started arriving to the cemetery, the whole town was practically there hopper couldn't help buts smile at all the people there for Joyce, his Joyce.

After the funeral, Jonathan and Nancy were sitting next to each other. Jonathan was pouring his heart out to Nancy when he saw him. Abruptly Jonathan stopped talking and stood up and started walking "Jonathan, where are you going?" She asked. He was filled with anger, he was fuming, "what are you doing here!?" Jonathan said with bitterness. "Jonathan" Lonnie said trying to give him a hug, Jonathan backed away saying "answer the question!" Nancy walked up to him and stood at his side looping her arm around his. "Who is this pretty lady?" Lonnie said "you didn't tell me you have a girlfriend" "well, you don't need to know everything" Jonathan said with anger
"What are you even doing here anyways? It's not like you ever cared for her!" He said with spite.

"Thats because I'm not here for her, I'm here for you kids" Lonnie said "that's a bunch of bull" Jonathan said "you never were here for us why would you be now?!"

"Jonathan, When I heard that you mother died I dropped everything to come here!" Lonnie said a bit louder "I'm here to bring you boys to live with me in the city."

Meanwhile, hopper was talking to Mrs. Wheeler,  "so" Mrs. wheeler said "I see you're taking care of Joyce's kids for now." "Actually, no" Hopper said  getting a weird look from Mrs. wheeler "It's not just for now, I plan on adopting them, they are like the sons I never had. I love them as much as I do Jane" he says while smiling looking down at will. Though the lovely moment didn't last long, as he heard a familiar voice, from one contentious, rotten man, Lonnie.

"Hey kid, stay here" hopper said standing up walking towards the voice, "great" he thought "he's talking to Jonathan." Hopper walked up to Jonathan catching the last part of what Jonathan was saying "-no, I will not move to the city with you!" Jonathan said sounding very annoyed. "Hey, kid" hopper said putting a hand on Jonathan's shoulder, glaring a little at Lonnie. "Hopper" Lonnie said with venom in his voice "don't touch my son" he growled, "You guys were just being loud" hopper said "I'd thought, I'd see what was going on."  "Family matters" Lonnie said "so it's none of your business"  "but, it is the chief of polices business and hey that's me" hopper said.
"Now, what's the problem" hopper said, of course hopper already knew, but he wanted that dissembling man to admit it. "I'm here to bring my kids back to the city with me" Lonnie said confidently "you can't do that" Hopper said, "yes I can" lonnie said "I'm their father and their mother is dead, which means I have custody."

"Actually no, Lonnie you don't have custody" hopper said with a smug smile plastered on his face, "what makes you say that?" Lonnie growled, "because, I have custody" hopper said matter of fact. "Well" Lonnie scowled "didn't know you two were screw'n" Jonathan face turned red and flustered at the thought, hopper stuttered a little bit before saying "we weren't, I just love these kids so much so, please leave you're not here for them and you are definitely not here for her so, leave before I make you."

Lonnie looked at Jonathan for help Jonathan just replied to him by looking away mumbling "just leave" though Jonathan said it quietly it was very intense, and partnered with hopper's pissed stare, Lonnie left while saying "tell my son I say hello."

After Lonnie was for sure gone, hopper said "hey kid sorry about that, sorry about him he's a jerk" Jonathan gave him a half hearted smile and said "thanks, hop." "I'll talk to you later" hopper mumbled before walking back over to Will.

When hopper got back to Will he asked "what was wrong?"  "Oh" hopper said a little surprised at the question, of course hopper didn't want to tell him about Lonnie, so he answered with "it was nothing, ok kiddo?"
"Ok hopper" Will replied, as he went back to drawing, a picture on the tiny note pad in front of him.
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The next chapter will be in Joyce's pov,
And I love to hear your thoughts about this chapter.